Sheet-feeding mechanism.



WI. DUNNEBIER & A. WINKLER.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 29' 914- Patented Se t. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. DUNNEBIE R & A. WINKLER.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM. vAPPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. I914.

Patented Sept. 14; 1915.

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3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.III ll lillllll' lmumim MAX D'UNNEBIER AND ALFRED WINKLER, OF NEUWIED-ON-THE-RHINE, GERMANY,

ASSIGNORS TO ANTON JOSEPH WANTZEN, OF LONDON,

ENGLAND.

SHEET-FEEDING 'IVIECHAN ISM.

Mamas:

Original application filed September 2, 1913, Serial No. 787,745. Divided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 114, 119115.

and this application filed June 29,

1914. Serial No. 848,044.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, MAX. Dt'iNNEBIER and ALFRED WINKLER, citizens of the German Empire, both residing at Neuwied-on-the- Rhine, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding sheets or blanks singly from the bottom of a pile.- In most machines requiring the feeding of separate sheets or blanks it is preferable to feed the lowermost sheet as this does not necessitate stoppage of the machine to renew the pile. The mechanism herein described is designed to feed blanks,

that is to say shaped sheets, such sheets requiring to be introduced very accurately to the machine. The invention is shown as applied to an envelop making machine of the rotary type as described in our co-pending application Serial No. 787,745 filed Sept. 2, 1913 from which application the present application has been separated out.

The object of the present invention is to provide an effective bottom blank feed and cooperating adjusting mechanism which will enable rapid, sure and accurate feeding of the blanks.

We shall first of all describe the envelop making machine generally with reference to Figures 1 and 2 and we shall then proceed to describe the present invention in detail with reference to-Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6.

The novel features of this invention are pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, which illustrate one mode or construction embodying this invention, Fig. 1 is a general side view of an envelop making machine,'employing a bottom blank feeder in accordance with this invention, numerous details are, for the sake of simplicity omitted in this view which is a section taken along the ends of the rollsQ Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine with the superstructure and cross driving shaft of the flexlng mechanism omitted. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side View of the feeding and adjusting mechanism. Fig. 4 is a separate side view of the gripper roll. Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of the table and flexing mechanism. The cross. bridge supporting the transverse shaft 19 and wing 26 with its driving mechanism is omitted to reveal the roller 28. Fig. 6 is a separate view of a blank such as is suited for an envelop with an open side.

In carrying the invention into effect as applied to the envelop making machine illustrated, the pile of blanks is supported on a table 5 and are fed singly to a gripperroll- 28 where they pass over the top of the roll and are adjusted before they enter the grip between the roll 28 and a transverse creasmg roll 50, where the folding lines ab and c-d, Fig. 6, are creased. The blank then passes'from the creasing roll to the rolls 50-55 and emerges on a bridge 64 where its side flaps g g in Fig. 6 are folded up. The blank is transported farther through suitably shaped folding plates indicated at 75 till the flaps g are turned down and it then reaches a gumming device 85, where gum is applied on the shaded portions 71. of the blank in Fig. 6. The flap e is thenfolded over by the cooperation of fingers 91 and 94 which introduce the envelop with the fold line cd foremost, between the grip of the rolls 8990. The blank is now an envelop with the closing flap open. The envelop emerges from the rolls 8990, is guided upward by a movable guide 100 and is then struck downward by a finger or blade 107. The envelop then passes down between the roll 90 and the segment 99 to be caught by a suction nozzle 108 and delivered into compartments in a rotary drum 114. Suitable counting mechanism 124 is provided for counting the envelops into bundles of 25,

and these bundles are delivered and stacked on a table 147.

The folding, delivery and counting mechanism are all described more fully in the co pending application No. 787,745 and are operated from the main driving shaft 11.

The blanks w are stamped out in any ordinary form, as for instance, shown in Figs. 5-6 and are already gummed on their closing flaps. In the machine the transverse fold lines a-b and 0-61 are first creased to facilitate at a later stage the folding of the bottom flap and the closing flap f. After this the side flaps g are folded over along the lines ac and b The blanks w are laid on top of one another on a table 5 and between four standwhile the separate blanks are removed from the bottom of the pile by means located beneath the table for that purpose. The rear osts 1, 1, are carried by adjustable arms 3, 3 While the front posts 2, 2 are carried by angle brackets 4, 4 the arms 3, 3 and brackets 4, 4 being so set that the. posts nest in the edges or corners of the blank. The rear posts 1, 1 are supported at their lower ends and are free at their upper ends, while the front posts 2, 2 are supported at their upper ends and are free at their lower ends.

The pile of blanks is supported on a plate 5, which as seen in Fig. 5 is of Tshape in plan and, as seen in Fig. 3, is bent to a curved form, so that. the blanks are partially flexed. The table 5, does not extend the whole length of the blanks, but leaves them with their forward ends overhanging and free to be flexed as will be understood from the following description This plateor table 5, is adapted to swing about its pivot 6, and is acted upon by a spring 7, suitably anchored to the frame of the machine. The spring 7 causes the roller supported on the bracket 10 and supporting table 5 to follow the contour of the cam 9, carried by the transverse shaft 8. When the transverse shaft 8 rotates, the plate 5 rises and falls swinging about its pivot 6. The shaft 8 is supported in the side frames of the machine and is driven from the main driving shaft 11 (Fig. 1) so as to rotate at the same speed as the driving shaft. 'At each oscillating movement of the table 5, the ample supporting surface offered by this tableis temporarily removed, and the left hand end of the pile of blanks rests temporarily on the portions or ledges 12 of the arms 3, which are.

seen in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The pile is also supported by members 13, which operate like fingers and do not engage the lowest blank, as is more fully explained hereafter. The fingers 13 are mounted on arms 14 which are pivoted at 15, to fixed points in the side frames of the machine. The arms 14 are held away from the pile of blanks by means of the springs 16 and are moved toward and under the blanks by rods 17 and eccentric driving mechanism 18 on the cross shaft 19 which is driven in a similar manner to the shaft 8. The fingers 13 swing beneath the ends of the rods 2 and beneath the edges of the blanks.

The short transverse edges of the blanks on the right hand in Fig. 5 are continually supported by the fixed ledge or arm 20. When the table 5 swings downwardly the pile rests as regards the left hand corners,

that is to say their rear edges, on the ledges or shelves 12, and at the right hand the cross or transverse edge rests on the arm 20. The ledge or arm 20 and the .fingers 13, engage on the bottom of the second lowest blanks and support the superincumbent pile, while they leave the lowest blank free. This Fig. 5 and it is the upper blanks rest against the shoulder part, as can be seen in Fig. 1. This prevents an excessive weight being put upon the fixed rigid ledges 20 and enables the table 5 to lift the comparatively small lower part of the pile clear of the ledge to facilitate withdrawal of the lowest blank bythe suction device 21.

The lowest blank is en aged or seized by. the suction nozzle 21 be ore the table 5 is oscillated downward, and. this blank is swung downward past the side fingers 13, by flexing or bending the part which overhangs the forward edge of the table 5. The part which is so engaged by the suction nozzle 21, ispreferably the flap e. The suction nozzle 21 thus draws the lowest blank from beneath the arm or finger 20 which, as seen in Fig. 3, only engages the edge of the flap and is relieved of weight during the withdrawal. The suction nozzle 21 is mounted on a hollow spindle 22 and this spindle is oscillated at the proper time by a lever 23, which engages a cam 24, so as to cause the lever 23 to swing twice for each rotation of the shaft 8, and the main shaft 11. This nozzle is mounted on the hollow shaft 22, which is connected in any convenient and well-known manner to the suction pump 25. When the suction nozzle closes on the lowest blank, this blank is drawn downward so as to move with the oscillating nozzle 21. The end of the shaft 22, is conveniently connected by a flexible piping to the pump 25. The action of the pump is intermittent so as to facilitate the taking up and releasing of the blanks.

lVhen the flap 6 is drawn down by the suction nozzle a segmental member 26, shaped in the form illustrated somewhat like a sickle, swings around between the lowest sheet and the second lowest, thereby completing the downward movement of the flap e and insuring its engagement by. one of the grippers 27 as hereinafter described. The segmental member 26 is mounted to rotate about an axis transverse to the axis of the roll 28, and the oscillating nozzle 21. The segmental member or sickle 26 thus rotates in the plane parallel to t he blanks. The rotation of the sickle takes place continuously in the direction of the arrow 26 in driven by the bevel gearing 26 seen in Fig. 3. The action of the sickle 26 is also to press the front edge of the blank down over the nozzle 21 and thus bring the blank clear of the nozzle. \Vhen the arm 26 nozzle is the arcuate spac the next blank. helical or screw completes the bending initiated by the nozzle derstood on reference t sickle 26, thus takes th zle, swings the fla of the table 5, and brings this fia is caught by th It will be seen t tiating the downward flexing m the flap e of the lowest blank tion nozzle and completing it the wing 26, the suction noz swing far downward into the roll, nor need it hold the pa such a protracted period. can return to take u the completion of t the sickle 26. Thi operation thus simplifies and enables the machine greater speed.

The gripper roll 28, (see F provided with 27, and rotate speed of the in speed of the s ent construct large and is pe'rs 27, hence its r of the main shaft. ping roll is slightly vance of the front table and the pape the top of the roll a This enables all t mechanism to be re ing, inspection an justing or straighteni ereafter described to be arr to the roll and to act on th the forward movement. of time by' stopping the been adjusted. As th tinuously rotating, t transverse edge oft take place quickly. assisted by the dro which has the effec previously bent sheet. abutment at its rea 1 and thereby the e to move rapidly tow when the sheet straigh the rapid joggling down of t the forward edge of the bla quickly than the peripher gripper roll 28, and this or acceleration is timed to the blank properly under The arrangement and shap has passed the nozzle 21, this n free to pass upward in the osed by the sickle to take he wing or sickle 26 is of so that on rotation it or flexing movement 21. This will be un- 0 Figs. 3 and 5. The e blank from the nozp e. about the u region where it on the roll 28. hat by iniovement of by the sucby means of zle need not region of the per blank for The nozzle 21' p the next blank during he flexing movement by n of the flexing the construction to operate at a igs. 3 and 4) is gripping fingers or grip s continuously at half ain shaft, and also at half the haft 8. A feature of the presion' is that the gripper roll is provided with twosets of gripotation at half the speed The 'top of the grip higher than and in ador forward edge of the r blank is drawn over nd from under the pile. he adjusting and other adily accessible for clean- It also enables ng mechanism anged exterior e blank during There is no loss blank till it has e gripper roll is conhe gripping of the he lower sheet has to This gripping action is pping of the table 5 straightening the The sheet finds an es-on the rear posts f the flap e is caused ard the grippers 27 In other words, he table 5 causes nk to move more al speed of the rapid movement bring the edge of the grippers 27. e of the table 5,

waaet I at and its oscillating movement, thus cooperate not only to facilitate the removal of the lowest sheet, but also to insure this sheet being gripped properly by the fingers 27 of the gripper roll 28.

ach pair of grippers 27 is mounted on a common axis 29, and on each axis or spindle 29, and externally to the roll 28, there is provided an arm 30, which is acted upon by a spring 31 (Fig. 3). The spring is coiled around a rod 32, and abuts on a sleeve 33 pivotally mounted on the roll. This sleeve 33, receives the end of the rod 32. At the opposite end of the roller (see- Fig. 4) to a fixture, being mounted clear of the end of the roll 28. By the oscillation of the arm 36, and toothed wheel 35, the toothed wheels 4 are also oscillated, and the grippers 27 are caused to swing inwardly against the action of their springs 31, which tend to hold them in gripping position. The grip pers 27, engage the sheet and carry it, with the flap 6 foremost, around, over and with the roll 28, until the corners c, d (Fig. 6) engage on the movable fingers 38, which project into grooves in the roller 28. The arcuate guide 39 is arranged concentric to the roller 28 and serves to guide the blank during this operation.

Before the blank passes to the manipulating parts proper of the machine, it must be accurately adjusted, so that the folding lines lie accurately along the lines indicated in Fig. 6. This is effected by means of the mechanism now to be described more particularly with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

The fingers 38 are mounted on the-transverse spindle 40, which is supported in suitable brackets on the side frames of the machine. This transverse spindle has fixed on it an arm 41, having a roller at its lower end which contacts with a cam 42, mounted on the axis of the roller 50. The cam 42 rotates with this axis at the same speed as thedriving shaft 11. The arms 38, however, do not move downwardly so quickly as the peripheral speed of the roll 28, that is to say the speed of the points of contact of the arms or fingers 38, with the blank is not so great as the peripheral speed of the roller 28. The grippers 27 are timed to release the front edge of the sheet just as a sector 43 comes into cooperation with the; sheet to continue the transportation of the same. The sector 43, when it-comes opposite the roll 28, is moving at the same peripheral speed as the roll and consequently proper in close proximity cam 45 veniently fingers move away to release the blank.

The part of the blank however between the fingers 38 and the segment 43 is bellied out as shown in Fig. 4. To permit of this bellying action the guide plate 39 which constitutes suitable means for retaining the blank to the gripper roll, is swung outwardly from the position shown in F-ig, 3, to that shown in Fig. 4. The arcuate guide plate 39 is pivotally mounted on a fixed axis 47, and has arearwardly projecting arm 44, adapted to coiiperate with a A spring 46 may be used to maintain the arm 44 in contact with the cam 45. The amount of the bellying shown in Fig. 4 is dependent upon the dimensions and shape of the blank and the amount of the oscillation of the arcuate guide 39 must be sufficient to accommodate any amount of bellying action which will be met with in practice. I

The arrangement of the arcuate guide 39 just described enables a certain amount of latitude to be used as regards the period at which the grippers 27 release the blank. In all cases the gripper should preferably carry the blank forward under the arcuate guide 39, which is only swung away from its position close to the roll 28 (see Fig. 3) at or about the time when the sector 43 comes into operative position. If then the grippers 27 release the blank sooner than the segment 43 engages with the same, the guiding of the blank is taken up by the arcuate guide 39, until such time as the sector does come into operation. These provisions enable the machine to be used with a widely varying size and shape of blanks.

In addition to the above described parts, a fixed finger, or pair of fingers 49, is mounted on a cross bar 48. The purpose of this finger is to direct the oncoming blank properly into the bite of the rolls 28 and 50. The pivot 47 for the arcuate guide 39, is conmounted as shown on the fixed fingers 49.

The roll 50 '(Fig. 3) rotates continuously in the ratio of 1-1 to the main shaft, but is provided with a break or opening 51, in its circumference, so that it is only effective after this opening 51 has passed the roll 28. The rolls are set and timed so that the break 51 has just passed the full circumference of the roll '28 when downward, that is to say, after the blank fixed to rotate with the sector 43.

the fingers 38 swing rapidly has been properly adjusted. These fingers swing down at an accelerated rate during the latter part of their movement. The roll 50 coiiperates with the roll 28 merely to transport'the blank forward. a

We claim:

1. In a machine for folding envelop blanks in combination, a support for a pile of blanksleaving their forward ends overhanging, suction means located beneath said support to flex the forward end of the bottom blank from the pile, moving grippers to receive said blank and a rotatable member for removing the forward end of said flexed blank from the suction nozzle and moving its front edge into the grippers.

and means for moving said'table downward and subsequent to the flexing to engage the forward end of the separated blank under the grippers.

3. In a rotary machine for folding envelop blanks in combination, a movable table supporting a pile of blanks having their forward ends overhanging said table, a suction device for separating the bottom blank at its overhanging end from the pile, means for flexing said separated enddownward, a roller located with its top surface higher than and in advance of said table, grippers in said roller and carried at the top of the roller in a direction away from said table and means for moving said table downward to straighten said flexed blank and press its forward edge under the grippers.

4. In a machine for folding envelop blanks in combination, a movable table supporting a pile of blanks with their forward ends overhanging said table, posts at the rear end of said pile of blanks and against which the blanks abut, posts supported at the front end of said blanks and projectingrear end of said pile of blanks and against which theblanks abut, posts supported at and projecting below pile of blanks which 'velop blanks,

the front end of said blanks and projecting downward to the bottom of the pile, means located beneath the table for flexing the overhanging end of the bottom blank downward clear of the foot of front posts, mem bers movable beneath the front posts and between the flexed blank and the remaining blanks, grippers beneath and movable away from said table, and means operable after the flexing of said blank to lower said table and move the forward flexed end of the blank under the grippers.

6. In a rotary machine for folding envelop blanks, a curved table of II-shape pivoted about its rear end and supporting a overhang its forward the rear of said pile the rear edges of the same. rigid posts carried by saidbrackets at the rear of the pile of blanks and supported from the brackets at their lower ends, rigid posts at the front of the blanks and supported from their upper ends, oscillating fingers adapted to oscillate back and forward beneath said front posts, means for flexing the overhanging parts of the bottom blank, and means operable to swing the table downward about its pivot when the bottom blank is flexed.

7. In a rotary machine for. folding envelop blanks, a curved table of T-shape pivoted about its rear end and supporting a pile of blanks which overhang its forward end, fixed brackets to the rear of said pile and projecting below the rear edges of the same, rigid posts carried by said brackets at the rear of the pile of blanks and supported from the brackets at their lower ends, rigid posts at the front of the blanks and supported from their upper ends, a fixed ledge at the forward edge of the blanks, and means for limiting the number of superimcumbent blanks resting on said ledge, substantially as described. 1

8. In a rotary machine for folding ena curved table of T-shape pivoted about its rear end and supporting a pile of blanks which overhang its forward end, fixedbrackets to the rear of said pile and projecting below the rear edges of the same, rigid posts carried by said brackets at the rear of the pile of blanks and supported from the brackets at their lower ends, rigid posts at the front of the blanks and supported from their upper ends, a fixed ledge at the forward edge of the blanks, and means for limiting the number of superincumbent end. fixed brackets to blanks resting on said ledge comprising a,

supporting arm for said ledge, a shoulder on the supporting arm and facing the blanks to extend from the top of the supporting arm and terminating at a point above the bottom of the pile.

9. In a machine for folding envelop blanks in combination, a movable table supporting a pile of blanks having their forward ends overhanging said table, posts in the rear of said pile, posts in front of said pile, a fixed ledge beneath the front end of said pile and a supporting arm for said ledge, a shoulder on said supporting arm and extending downward to terminate above the bottom of the pile, means for oscillating said table to raise and lower the pile, for the purpose set forth.

In a machine for folding envelop blanks in combination, a movable table supporting a pile of blanks having their forward ends overhanging said table, posts in the rear of said pile, posts in front of said pile, a fixed ledge beneath the front end of said pile, a supporting arm for said ledge, a shoulder on said supporting arm and extending downward to terminate above the bottom of the pile, a suction device located beneath said table to engage the bottom blank and means operable to raise the table when the suction deviceengages the bottom blank.

11. In a machine for folding envelop blanks in combination, porting a pile of blanks having their forward ends overhanging said table, posts in the rear of said pile, pile, a fixed ledge beneath the front end of said pile, a supporting arm for said ledge, a shoulder on said supporting arm and extending downward to terminate above the bottom of the pile, a movable suction device located beneath said table to engage the bottom blank and separate it from the pile, arms movable under said front posts and between the separated blank and the rest of the pile, and means for raising the table when the suction device engages the bottom blank and for lowering the same when the movable arms are located between the bottom blank and the remainder of the pile.

12. In an envelop blank folding machine, a table supporting a pile of blanks with their forward ends overhanging, an oscillatable suction device mounted about an axis in front of said overhanging edge, said nozzfe separating the overhanging part of the bottom blank from the pile, and a member rotatable about an axis transverse to the axis of oscillation of the suction device for removing the forward end of said bottom blank from above said nozzle and flexing it downward beneath and clear of said nozzle.

13. In an envelop blank folding machine, a table supporting a pile of blanks, with their forward ends overhanging, an oscillatable suction device for separating the overhanging part of the bottom blank from the pile, and a segmental shaped member rotataposts in front of said,

a movable table supcillation of the suction'device for removing suction device for separating the overhanging it downward.

said bottom blank from said nozzle and flex- 14. In an envelop blank folding machine, a table supporting a pile of blanks with their forward ends overhanging, an oscillatable ing part ofthe bottom blank from the pile, a segmental shaped member rotatable about an axis transverse to the axis of oscillation of the suction device for removing said bottom blank from said nozzle and flexing it downward, and means for oscillating said suction device in the arcuate space of said segmental shaped member to engage a fresh blank.

15. In an :envelop blank folding machine, a table pivoted at its rear end and supporting a pile of blanks which overhang its for- I to pass beneath the same.

16. In a machine .for folding envelop blanks, arotatable roll, means for feeding separate blanks to said roll and means for adjusting said blank on saidsroll, comprising a rotary member adapted to engage the blank and transport, it in conjunction with the roll, fingers mounted externally of the roll and movable into the path of the'blank at its forward end, and means for moving said fingers at a lesser speed than the peripheral speed of the roll and sector.

17. In a machine. for folding envelop blanks, a rotatable gripper roll, blank gripping members thereon, means for feeding separate blanks to said gripping members near the top of the roll, means for retaining said gripping members in engagement with the blank till the same is drawn over the roll, means for retaining saidblank in close proximity to the roll, adjusting fingers external to said gripper roll and movable at a lesser speed than the peripheral speed of the said roll, said fingers engaging the forward edge of the blank temporarily and a further roll contacting with said gripper roll and between which rolls the blank passes on being released from the adjusting fingers after said temporary engagement.

' 18. In a machine for folding envelop blanks, a rotatable roll, blank gripping members thereon, means for feeding separate blanks'to said gripping members near the top of the roll, means for retaining said gripping members in engagement with the blank till the same is drawn over'the roll, an arcuate guide over the blank, means operable for releasing the grippers'under the said arcuate guide, a rotatable sector located to engage the blank in the rear of the arcuate guide, adjusting fingers movable at a lesser speed than the peripheral speed of the sector and roll and-engaging the forward edge of the blank and means for moving said arcuate guide away from the periphery of the roll during the time a blank is between the sector .and the adjusting fingers,

comprising a tail piece on the arcuate guide and cam rotatable with the sector and cooperating with said tail piece.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAX DUNNEBIER. ALFRED WINKLER.

Witnesses LOUIS VANnoRN, WILHELM Karma 

